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All the World is a Stage! Strange stages..

#42
The best show I've ever played was at an elks lodge in the middle of nowhere BFE. The show was supposed to be ina town, at a laundry mat if I recall correctly. But there was a sign on the door explaining the situation and gave us directions. We were super freaked out because we're the only band plying and from a hundred miles away. We got there and the place was packed! There were kids outside just trying to listen. We played on ground level and I literally had people having conversations right behind me, it was such an intimate show. We played for like 2 hours. We weren't really that great, but man we sure had some fun! The guy called us out to his new venue like 5 more times. The shows gradually got smaller and smaller until he eventually went out of business. I think it was a front for a drug operation to be honest. But hey, I wouldn't trade that elks lodge gig for anything. Best show of my life!
 
#43
I played at an 'open range zoo' . There were no cages at all , the animals were allowed to just roamed free, I don't recall any animals like lions or tigers, but it was full of elk, rams, monkeys, camels, giraffes, peacocks , oxen , antelope, etc. We were hired to play for a wedding . So we are playing outside and everything is going great. Our drummer would call out each song , so I always would turn around after each song to see what he said. Well I turn around to see what he's gonna call out and I have a look of shock on my face. He ask "what ?? What's wrong"? I say, don't freak out dude but there is a giraffe standing right behind you and he's checking out your drums. He looked back and saw this huge torso then looked up and saw the giraffe head starring down at him. He nearly fell out of his chair.
 
#44
I have played in some weird places.

To name a few....

Lincoln memorial
On a bus
Children's Hospital
Aircraft Carrier
Beach in Spain
JS Bach's house
One time in a snow storm (not good for your instrument)
Proms in the park :)
Some pizza shop in Berlin
...

too many to say tbh when your touring you literally play everywhere... oh yeah a WW2 bunker
 
#48
Played a wedding in a old 1930's era theater in Tampa Fla, the kind where the organ rises up from the stage. It was around Mardi Gras time of year so they wanted a mardi gras wedding. We did the wedding march with a bouncy jazzy feel. The bride , dressed in a shortish wedding dress with red garter belts reclined on top of the organ and rose up out of the stage as we played . It was a blast.
 
#49
Maximum security state pen. Our church group went to the state pen for Christmas caroling. There were about five singers and me on an acoustic guitar. We went through the metal detectors and through a series of hallways to where the cell blocks were. The prisoners were in their cells with the doors closed. We could only see their silhouettes through the glass on the cell door. They left their food tray slot open so they could hear us. We did about ten songs per cell block. Most of the inmates seemed to enjoy it. The ones who didn't turned their television volume up to drown us out. Talk about a captive audience!!
 
#52
-Trailer in a street
-FDR Skatepark in Philly, under I95
-A few other skateparks
-A bedroom at a house party
-The dining room of a row home in Kensington (bad area of Philly) that ended in a brawl. We left right as cop cars swarmed the house.
-The vending machine room of an ice rink at 1am
-A cafeteria room in an office building
-The Halfway House. A former popular Philly "punk house" that always had shows. The stage was in the basement and the stairs were so small I couldn't bring an 810 down them. Don't ask me why, but the floor was dirt and a water pipe had broken that day, turning the basement into a mudpit.

Being in a punk band was pretty fun.
 
#55
As a bassist?
1 week after I took up bass for the first time, a high scool prom, close to 700 kids. VERY bad part of town, pimps parked outside, rumours about guns all the time, cops busted just as we got down the stage and everybody got the hell out as fast and playing it as cool as posible.

As a singer? (choir)
The moat of small castle in Italy, small town near Turín.
Lots of churches, cathedrals, you get it.
And 2 very special: Mt Saint Michel (whole choir as turists, but randomly startet to sing in various rooms and places there)
and a couple hours from there, a concert in a small small church from the (IIRC) 6th century, damaged by the bombings in WWII and restored. Stone in the floors.
Unbelievable experience.
 
#59
two fingers said:
I can add a couple.

I have played in a wrestling rink. Yep. True story. the drums and amps were set up just outside the rink on a rolling platform. They would have a match and we would play in between. All of us except the drummer were inside the dang thing. It was the most ridiculous night of my life.

I have also played on top of a hot tub in a hotel indoor pool area. They put several layers of plywood over it and the whole band stood up there. We were all pretty worried the whole night. It held up though.
Click to expand...

I think its wrestling "ring" not rink. :smug:
 

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